Spring Song
by Eri-pyon
Summary: A noble's daughter ran away from home for a new beginning. Her fresh start involves an encounter with another ex-noble who seems to have a lot in common with her, as he holds her hand and promises her a new story. SaboXOC - fluffy and sweet story incorporating ONE PIECE universe
1. Chapter 1

**Spring Song**

Author's Note:  
Hello, I'm Eri-pyon. This is my first One Piece fanfiction and I apologize if my writing is quite inexperienced. However, I hope you will enjoy my story with an SaboxOC. I suddenly got this idea because I find Sabo really mature and adorable, haha, and please give me nice friendly reviews! Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 1**

-FOUR YEARS BEFORE DRESSROSA ARC-

I've just arrived at a small town on an unknown island, miles away from my hometown. I decided to leave after I had enough of my parents' forceful decisions of marriage and manipulative ideas for my life. Without any money nor food, I took off and landed on an island in East Blue. I'd thought it's a good island for a fresh new start.

"Where should I start?" I asked myself as I nervously stared down at my clothes. They can hardly be called respectable and I absolutely look like a robber. I sighed. It's to be expected when I haven't changed for days as I snuck in a cargo ship as my ride to the island. Though I would've starved to death, I skillfully swiped food from the kitchen during the night. It was quite an experience as I would nev"er have done feats such as stealing or breaking the law if I was at my old family.

I smoothed my long wavy milktea-colored hair and walked into the town that is bustling with activity. _First I should find a job?_ I wondered.

The market was very lively as I walked through the stone pavement. The brick buildings were very vintage and I spotted a castle in the distance, or was it a _palace?_ I was very excited to have landed myself on such a pretty island.  
But as I was walking down the pavement, an expensive-looking car speeded towards the crowd, leaving the crowd shrieking in surprise, including me. I gasped in annoyance as it stopped inbetween the pathway of the market.

The car's driver stepped off. It was a dark-haired young man, dressed in rich clothes that screamed nobility. I crossed my arms. _Who would drive in such a dangerous way? Is he looking to hurt someone?_

I looked around to find mutual agreement that the reckless young man was in the wrong but the crowd silently made way for the young man. I did the same as I decided to leave my personal opinions out.

"...commoners..." he said under his breath. "Move!" He gave a hard shove on a young boy. He fell to the ground and I instinctively yelled, "Hey!"

The crowd stared at me and apparently, it was a bad move. The young noble turned his attention towards me and glared at me.

"What did you dare say?"

"You heard me!" I spoke back, my voice slightly trembling which I hoped he did not notice. "You do not do that to anyone, especially a child. What are you, barbaric? A pirate? Tyrant?" The young boy was on the ground, quivering with fear.

"You do not have any right to say that to me!" he snarled back, "I will put you in prison for doing that! I am a noble and you are nothing!" He signalled the nearby police dressed in uniform. I was in awe; a police was present but they refuse to do anything for justice. The town I thought previously beautiful was becoming uglier. I was slowly disgusted. The signalled men grabbed my arms and I was unable to move. I struggled.

A bystander witnessing the commotion squeaked softly, "Apologize quickly! He might still forgive you!"

"I won't apologize! I don't believe I'm in the wrong!" I argued back.

"You..!" the noble shouted angrily, face distorted in anger as one of the policemen readied his fist to punch me. I clenched my teeth, bracing for the impact.

However, nothing happened. I slowly opened my eyes and he was on the ground. Another young man with blond hair and a blue hat hit him with a pipe.

"Wow, you are cowards, doing this to a girl," he disapprovingly growled as he beat up the men holding my arms. He turned towards the noble who quickly backed away.

"Do not come closer!" he yelled but my savior walked menacingly towards him.

"Nobility does not give you permission to disrespect others, remember that..." he said as he made a final punch that knocked the noble out.

"Oh my god, are you sure you want to do that? That guy is probably a noble and he might put you in jail..." I piped up worriedly. My savior smiled at me and grasped my cheeks with his warm palms.

"More importantly, are you okay?" he asked, "he didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"N-No, thank you for saving me..." I said, flustered that his face was close to mine. Then, I remembered that the young boy was still hurt on the ground. I glanced at him but a woman came and scooped him up. It was presumbly his mother.

"Thank you for standing up for him," she cried, "I thought Prince Phillipe was gonna kill him..."

"WHAT!" I shrieked, "he's a PRINCE?" I stared at my savior who laughed in a carefree manner. _Okay, so I thought I could get away with just a noble but the fact that I just MESSED with a friggin PRINCE, I don't think I can be peacefully residing in this country anymore..._ I nervously realized what I just did.

"Well, you better come with me!" the blonde man heartily said as he grabbed my hand and ran out of the market towards the port.

"Wait, where are you taking me?" I confusedly asked as I stopped him in his tracks.

"To get out of this place before the royal police catches up and throws you into the dungeon, of course!" he beamed, his hands still clasped with my hands. I quickly broke the hold.

"I don't even know you?" I stammered.

"Well, you're probably not a citizen, right?" he observed, "you're not wearing any of the towns' traditional clothing. You're wearing what looks like a dishcloth!"

"Oh wow, thanks for that!" I hit him in his arm lightly, "I just arrived in this town, that's why!"

"Then, you're probably here to start over, right? You don't seem to carry a lot of possessions and you don't seem like a pirate. Otherwise, you would've been able to fight those guys off."

"Okay, fine." I gave in, "I'm here for a fresh start. I ran away from home."

"Perfect," he grinned, "then you'll come be my partner?"

"WHAT!" I stared at him, dumbfounded, "how can you easily decide that? You don't even know me and I definitely don't know you!" I protested.

"I'm Sabo, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army. I invite you to be part of the Revolutionary Army, under my command," he introduced himself, giving me the warmest smile ever. _How can he trust me this easily? He doesn't even know me!_ My mind screamed. But something about him seems so genuine, so sincere and so trustworthy that my instincts repeatedly told me to trust him to take me for the 'new start' I had always wanted.

But in the other hand, I was shocked at the revelation. He is the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army, THE Revolutionary Army, THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY! _How strong can he be?_ I was surprised to meet a man of such position and so high up in the criminal list of the Government.

"I-I'm Haruna..." I murmured back, staring wide-eyed at him. He seemed so carefree, so nonchalant that I suddenly became interested. Though he probably fights battles and gets injured as part of his daily routine, I found him so cheery and mysterious at the same time.

"Then, Haruna, come with me to the sea?" he asked as he stretched his hand out for me to take.

"...How can you trust me?..."

"I just do..."

"I m-might kill you in your sleep, you know."

"You can try, but I don't think so..." Sabo's smile did not falter one bit.

"..."

"..." his hand awaited my response.

"Okay..." I finally grabbed his hand, "call me 'Haru', I don't want to be called 'Haruna'. I want a new start."

"Understood," he started running again, "Haru!" We headed towards the port. I suddenly came to believe that the place where my new beginning is, is where Sabo is taking me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Spring Song**

Author's Note: Haii, Eri-pyon again! Thankyou so much for reading. I am so happy that even though I'm an amateur, my story is being enjoyed! I will do my best not to write a disappointing chapter. :D

 **Chapter 2**

We were running with the bad men following us. Somehow, Sabo pulled me and led me into alleyways and small paths until we lost them. When Sabo and I arrived at the port, he led me to a small ship anchored on the farthest end, behind rows of identical ships that were branded with the town's insignia. I can probably guess that the stuck-up nobles I've encountered previously in town own these ships. A girl that seems to be in the same age as Sabo waved at him. She has short apricot-colored hair and bright round eyes.

"Sabo!" she shouted, "you're late! We're waiting for you!"

"Sorry," Sabo responded back, "we got into some trouble back in town." He said goofily. The girl sighed.

"Okay, but did you get our supplies?" she asked.

"N-No...I forgot, sorry..." The girl glared at Sabo.

"Oi! Sabo!" she screeched. She seemed really mad.

"Uh, please don't get mad at him," I tried to help, "He was rescuing me from some people who tried to hurt me. And, well, I didn't have a place to go and Sabo took me with him..." I nervously stammered. The girl averted her gaze towards me and eyed me carefully. Then, her glare turned into a bright smile as she noticed my hand clasped with Sabo's. I caught sight of her sparkly eyes observing me and I visibly went red.

"Oh, I see! That's so Sabo-like," she said cheerily, "if you were Sabo's friend, you should have told me! I'm Koala! Here, come up, come up!" She gestured me to board the ship.

Sabo let go of my hand. Stepping on the edge of the pavement, he gently scooped me up with his strong hands and pushed me up onto the ship.

"Thanks, Sabo..." I whispered softly. He smiled back kindly. It was warm.

It was a heroic smile and gesture. He was a hero, saving a little girl.

It was not a Welcome, new comrade situation, it was a I will protect you situation.

I didn't tell him that I want him to see me as a capable, independent comrade rather than a damsel in distress.

All my life, I was exactly the opposite, though. I was more of a spoiled little girl in a noble family. Dolled up in pretty clothes, put in a dollhouse and expected to have a happy-ever-after just by having that expensive, shiny but absolutely wasteful dollhouse. I didn't want that. I wanted to change. That was why I left my old house in the first place. I thought I would become the person I wanted to be when I took on this opportunity but the feeling of being helpless and powerless suddenly haunted me again. _I want to show him._ I suddenly become determined.

 _"_ You should have told me you got such a sophisticated _lady_ as your friend!" Koala giggled at Sabo. _Lady? In these rags?_ I stood there, dumbfounded and almost laughable at Koala's observations.

"I just met her!" Sabo annoyedly pushed Koala.

I walked around the deck, examining Sabo and Koala's ship excitedly.

"Hack hasn't come back yet," Koala told Sabo when he climbed onto the ship.

"I'll go look for him so we can go," Sabo proposed.

"Good," Koala agreed, "I'll go get the supplies. We can't make the journey if we don't have them." Then, she turned towards me. "Oh, um, Haru..."

"It's okay, I'll stay here and look over the ship!" I reassured her. I didn't want to be a burden as I knew that she wouldn't want to leave me alone, unprotected and absolutely barehanded.

"Are you sure?" Sabo asked cautiously.

"Yes!" I said without hesitation, "don't worry! Go take care of your errands." Sabo nodded. At that moment, I knew he was unsure about leaving me alone but with my urging, he finally left to find his comrade.

"Ah, Haru," Koala spoke up before leaving the ship, "I don't expect anything to happen but well, if anything happens, do not hestitate to use this." She opened up a wooden crate that revealed dozens of handguns. "We got this from intercepting an illegal black-market trade as part of our work."

"Ah, thanks, Koala," I received one of the handguns from her. She closed the wooden crate.

"We're running a dangerous line of work and we're not exactly accepted in this country. I'm gonna go get supplies in town. When I get back, let's talk lots," Koala beamed cheerfully at me. I returned her friendly smiles and was glad to be able to get along with her upon the first meeting. When she left, I couldn't stop staring at the foreign weapon on my hand. A shiny black gun...

Back in my hometown, my parents did force me to take archery lessons as part of the 'graceful, elegant' activities they expected me to do. Though holding a gun could not be compared to holding a bow and arrow, I couldn't help but relate these two items together. Back then, I actually enjoyed archery. I could aim really well and I felt great satisfaction from successfully shooting the arrowhead onto the middle of the target. The secret was that I often imagined the target to be my former fiancé, someone awful my parents arranged me to marry. Needless to say, he was an asshole and I wanted to punch his balls. But that story is for another day.

I was lost in my thoughts, sitting on one of the wooden boxes and crates that clutter the ship's deck. The breeze was cool though and I thought of Sabo. If he didn't save me, I would've been in real trouble. If he didn't save me, I wouldn't have had a chance at the freedom I had always wanted. _Oh, and did I mention about how cool he is?_ He is undeniably good-looking, at least compared to my previous marriage candidate, and I didn't expect the Revolutionary Army's second-in-command to be so sincere and dependable-

"That's the girl the prince is looking for!" a voice shouted in surprise, disturbing my train of thoughts. I alarmedly looked around and spotted one of the men who was chasing me earlier. He was alone but he did shout for reinforcements.

I squeaked in surprise, my heart beating fast. The man aimed his gun at me.

"Put your hands in the air and obey my instructions if you don't want to die!" he ordered. I didn't know what to do and my hands sweated. Suddenly, I noticed the cold gun in my hand and came up with thousands of possibilities.

"Do you hear me, lady?!" the man boomed, "hands up!" At that moment, adrenaline shot inside of me and in a split second, I held my gun up and impulsively pointed it at the man who was visibly surprised. My field of vision suddenly narrowed down and a soothing familiar voice in my head told me to calm down. _I'm not holding a gun. I'm holding a bow and arrow. This is archery class._ The familiar sensation built up inside of me. The gun suddenly felt lightweight and I automatically imagined a dummy target in front of me, rather than a real-life dangerous man I was facing. I felt my hands naturally steady, my fingers curling the trigger and without wasting anymore time, I pulled the trigger.

The man was unable to react fast enough and the bullet directly hit the middle of his gun. With a clank and the amount of force exerted by the bullet, his gun was knocked away and he cursed under his breath. He painfully cried out.

"Stop!" I shouted loudly and clearly, "if you move, I'll send the next bullet right through your brain!" As I said that, I climbed down from the ship onto the harbor with my gun still positioned in front of him and got closer to the man. He, in turn, obeyed me as he was frozen in place.

I stood right in front of him. _I'm in control_. Suddenly, an array of emotions flooded inside of me. I was angry, determined, thrilled, sad and every contradictory piece of emotion fueled me.

"Your country's prince and the country itself is stupid, ugly and rotten!" I exclaimed, "You're chasing me because some prince tells you I am to be at his mercy? Well, I'm telling you that I control my life and you'll be the first step I take to prove it!" I swang the butt of the gun hard on the man.

The man was out cold.

I sighed. A big weight was lifted off my chest and I felt good. Though, I'd hope that I did not just kill him.

 _I don't want to be a helpless someone you picked up in a whim. I am going to become your partner and equal that you can depend on._ This is the least I can do for him. He, who helped me.

I didn't know what awaited for me in this adventure. Nevertheless, I was looking forward it so very much. My excitement and anticipation was so unbearable that I thought of the times when such adventure was a dream that would've never come true. I wondered if it's a crime to be this free and independent; the foreign yet comforting thrill of freedom. I am finally out of the damned dollhouse.


	3. Chapter 3

**Spring Song**

Author's Note: There's been an increase in followers and I'm so happy, yay! Thank you for reading! Here's another chapter, yahoo!

 **Chapter 3**

After I knocked the man out cold, several more appeared and I quickly hid behind a cargo truck. I reloaded my gun but because there were so many, I chose to stay hidden. After that ordeal with the first soldier I knocked out, I was sure that if I appeared, the other men would beat me up. Thankfully, Sabo, Koala and a fishman dressed in gi returned quickly after. I watched the scene, mesmerized that they easily beat up the men. I wondered why Sabo chose a metal pipe as his weapon but I guess it's alright as they can be as lethal as swords. The fishman in gi must be Hack, their comrade that Sabo went to search for.

I got out of my hiding place and sighed in relief of Sabo's easy victory. Sabo caught sight of me and smiled. I walked up to them.

"Hey, Haru..." Koala began, "did you do this?" She pointed at the man whom I knocked out with my gun.

"Uh..." I hesitated, embarrassed of how violent I was. But Koala just laughed it off.

"Wow!" she grinned, "you did him good."

"You're not hurt though, right?" Sabo worriedly asked.

"No!" I shook my head, "I'm unharmed!"

Sabo noticed the metal gun on my hand.

"Do you have experience with guns?"

"Well, I just did..." I admitted to firing at the man, "b-but I can aim pretty well! I learned how to aim from archery classes!"

"They're completely different things though..." Sabo said but he was impressed. Then, he grabbed Hack's arm and dragged him towards me. He started by introducing us. "This is Hack, our comrade. And Hack, this is our new member, Haru!"

* * *

After the events at the island, we took off with the ship. Though with only four of us there, I got to know all of them in a closer scale and I was able to trust them. Our next destination is at an island called Evergreen to collect a rare type of ore called liquor iron ore and meet with several other members of the Revolutionary Army which are Sabo's subordinates.

It was night-time and I was sitting on the head of the ship or the wooden structure that pokes out into the sea. Everyone else was sleeping but for some reason, I couldn't sleep. The night air was refreshing and the sea was dark and quiet. I was wondering about what happened to my younger brother, Kiku. He was a year younger than me and he was raised with more expectations than me. He was always being pressured to take over my parents' enormous trade corporation. He was also the reason that was holding me back from running away for years. When I finally had the guts to do it, I couldn't tell him.

"We didn't even say goodbye..." I softly spoke to myself.

"Who?" a voice startled me. I spun around and I saw Sabo climbing the wooden structure as he made his way to sit beside me.

"Sabo!" I blurted out in surprise, "why aren't you sleeping?"

"I could ask the same to you," he handed me a bottle of light orange liquid. "Here, I brewed some peach tea that we got from the island before."

"Oh, it's delicious!" I noted, taking a sip of the tea. _He is so generous, taking all the trouble to make this for me in the middle of the night._

Sabo grinned with satisfaction as he leaned back, relaxed.

"I don't blame you for coming up here in the middle of the night. It's so cool here." I saw him staring up at the dark sky that spread across the horizon. The stars were twinkling and I suddenly felt safe and reassured. I want this peaceful night to last forever. It was as if we were the only ones in this world and we don't have to think about anything else. "Hey, Haru, how old are you again?" he asked curiously, breaking the silence.

"Oh, I'm 17. How about you, Sabo?" I answered.

"Hmm, you guess!"

"Eh, uh, 20?"

"I'm not that old," Sabo protested, discontent with my answer.

"But you look so mature though.."

"I'm sorta flattered with the compliment but guess again!" Sabo sheepishly smiled.

"Uh, 18?"

"Bingo!" he made an O gesture with his arms in the air that indicates 'correct' or 'maru' in Japanese. We laughed at the same time. I didn't think that we are so close in age. We are just a year apart! Sabo looked like he had so much experience and he is even the second-in-command of the notorious Revolutionary Army.

"So, who were you talking about?" Sabo pressed, changing the subject.

"Oh.." I remembered, "I was talking about my brother at home. I kinda miss him." I smiled sadly.

"Your family are nobles right?" Sabo asked.

"Yes, though, I still ran away even though I have most of the things not many could afford. I can be this selfish, huh..." I laughed quietly to myself.

"No, I don't think so. Somehow I understand..." Sabo's voice was unaffected by my self-pitiful tone. I suddenly felt ashamed for pathetically saying that since I was the one who declared myself to become a stronger person. Sabo continued, "I wish I knew about my parents." His voice was small and the sound of the waves almost overwhelmed it. I patiently waited for him to elaborate.

"I lost my memory ever since I was found by Dragon-san. I don't even know who my parents are or what kind of life I led before," he told me, his gaze aimed towards the wide ocean and in that moment, I wished for him to look at me in the eyes. I wanted to deduce what he felt there on the spot. I wanted to know more about him. But his eyes that pointed towards the ocean were so blank and emotionless that I almost wondered if the warm personality he has was a result from his dark past.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and nuzzled my head on his shoulder. Sabo have suffered at some point in the past and I was glad that he opened up to me. His voice was so melancholic and his gaze so impassive that I suddenly wanted to warm him up. Or at least, let him know that I was by his side. I wasn't sure what I was feeling there but one thing is for sure: he is my precious friend and I trust him with all my heart.

At first, Sabo was surprised at my sudden gesture and was about to protest. Instead, he peered at me, concern visibly manifesting in his eyes, and loosened up, returning the tender hug with his hand gently holding my waist. Nobody said anything for a while but it was okay. The atmosphere was calm and if all the things that I wanted to tell him were able to communicate with this little gesture, then, I was fine with the silence and the cool breeze blowing against our faces.

After a while, I decided to tell him about my brother and my past. With my head still nudged against him and his affectionate hand on my waist, I started to talk.

"My full name is Haruna Lacie. The Lacie family is the owner of a large corporation that deals with trade between countries and my family hopes for my brother to take over that business when he grew up. But my mother and father never thought of us as their children. We were like accessories to them. When we needed them, they weren't there for us. It was so suffocating," my voice cracked slightly and Sabo looked fixedly at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried.

"Y-Yeah, I just got a little sentimental there..." I waved it off and continued, "My brother's name is Kiku Lacie. I love him very much and sometimes, I hate my parents because they were always forcing their expectations onto Kiku. It pressured him and... he turned from a bright cheerful kid into a quiet and stoic kid." I recalled my brother's unhappy face and frowned upon the unpleasant memories.

"But he had a friend once. His friend was a regular villager. He was the farmer's son. But he often sneaked into the mansion to take Kiku to play outside. I always watched them. Kiku was always smiling with him and so, I thought it was all-right and the relationship between them was one of the most non-toxic things that could happen."

Sabo listened silently.

"But my parents found out and they thought he was toxic towards Kiku. So, with the authority they had, they destroyed his family's farm business and imprisoned his parents while wrongfully sending his son to a juvenile detention center at another country. Since then, my brother has never smiled, not even once. That's when I ran away from home." I took a deep breath. Sabo did not reply but I knew he was listening.

A long pause ensued. His quiet breaths made me feel at ease. Even though I did not receive a proper response from Sabo yet, I was somehow comforted by his presence and the fact that he was listening to my story.

"You're a great sister." he finally said, "in a world of corrupted systems and immoral societies, it must have taken a lot to be this strong."

"What are you saying?" I gently elbowed him, "you're the strong one here..."

We gradually went quiet, just enjoying each other's company. The air grew quite gloomy and I decided to lighten up with all the serious topics we've been having. That being said, I let go of the grip Sabo had on my waist and my own fond arms that encircle him. I turned myself so that I was facing him and not both of us facing towards the ocean in the previous position. I stared right into his eyes and before he could react, I gave him the widest grin I have.

"So, if I didn't meet you, I wouldn't have had a chance at a new beginning. Thank you, Sabo!" I expressed my appreciation in the most genuine way possible, "Thank you for listening to me and becoming such an important friend in just a few days!"

Sabo instinctively looked away, flustered.

"W-What, you don't need to thank me," he murmured, his face turning bright red. He abruptly stood up, "I-I'm here for you. You don't need to worry! A-Anyway, it's late, let's go to sleep!" he promptly pushed his trademark hat down on his face so that his eyes were partially covered. Sheepishly, he jumped off the wooden platform and began making his way towards the cabin.

"Wait for me!" I called as I followed behind him, my hands holding the tea that Sabo made for me and my smile still plastered across my face. Somehow, I felt better just by talking to him. It was like the huge weight I've been carrying on my back was being supported by Sabo.

 _Really, thank you!_

x

x

After we got into our bunks in the cabin, I couldn't stop thinking about the everlasting hug we shared that night. Why did I do that? That was so bold and I suddenly became self-conscious. _Stupid, stupid Haru! How could you just hug him like that?_

But, it's not like he detests it... rather, he returned my hug. _What am I thinking?_ These strange feelings...

I didn't realize that that night was just the beginning of my feelings towards him and that Sabo was unable to sleep that night as well. If only I had realized it then, maybe I could've spent much more time with him rather than regretting it like I do right now.

At this time of the year, the symbolic cherry blossom trees at the island country of Evergreen began to bloom. It was a sign of Spring.


	4. Chapter 4

**Spring Song**

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. I tried really hard to make it a fluffy and just a happy-go-lucky story so please forgive me if it has no action at all, hahaha.

 **Chapter 4**

The next morning, I woke up quite late as nobody was left in the cabin and sunlight was harshly pouring through the window. I glanced at Sabo's bunk and I noticed that he had already gotten up. I checked the time on the cabin's wall and it was already 11. _I really did sleep in._ I quickly got up and got dressed in the only outfit I had: a dark T-shirt and navy-colored shorts. Hastily brushing through my long wavy hair and fringe, I hurried out the door. It was embarrassing to be oversleeping as a guest in the ship.

"Oh, good morning, Haru," Koala spotted me first. She was sitting down beside the huge number of scattered crates. She was opening them and examining the weapons inside of it. Nearby, Hack seemed to be training as he did practice stances and punches, oblivious to my presence.

"Hey, Koala, sorry I slept in," I scratched my head shamefully.

"No worries," Koala brushed it off, "it'll take a while before we reach Evergreen anyway." she assured me.

"Haru," Sabo's voice echoed from the kitchen, "come here for a minute."

"Coming!" I called back. As I walked towards the kitchen, memories of last night's intimate hug between Sabo and me began flooding in. My face naturally heated up. _No, NO! I mustn't think of such inappropriate things! Get yourself together, Haru!_

 _"_ Sabo?" I surprisingly squeaked at the scene before me. Sabo was wearing an apron and cooking what seemed to be scrambled eggs.

"I'm making your breakfast, take a seat!" Sabo grinned. I happily obliged. I sat on one of the stools in front of the kitchen counter. Watching Sabo cook, I caught sight of two plastic bottles with the familar light orange liquid and sweet fruity scent on the counter. I remember the scent well. It was the peach tea Sabo made for me last night.

"Oh, did you brew these for me?" I excitedly reached for the bottles.

Sabo quickly turned around and dropped the spatula.

"No!" he immediately denied as he quickly snatched one bottle from my hands. "One's for me!"

"What, you drink tea?" I looked at him, incredulously.

"Well, what's wrong bout that?" he argued.

"It's a bit out of character, I suppose," I giggled. Sabo turned away.

"What kind of person do you think I am..." he murmured to himself. I smiled, my eyes fixated on his back and feeling so at home. I wonder if he'll make a good husband...he is mature and protective, he cooks and he likes tea. Sounds like an ideal husbandーI laughed quietly at my thoughts. _As if that's possible._

After a while, Sabo served me the most delicious-looking breakfast I had in a few days. I began eating and Sabo sat across the counter, pleasantly watching me eat. I felt like his eyes were boring a hole into me.

"Aren't you staring too much..." I said, embarrassed.

"Well, you seem to really enjoy your food. I like seeing people happily eating," he smiled warmly at the sight of me eating. I shyly looked down on my plate to avoid my eyes further meeting his. I tried to focus on eating and he sat there, watching me.

After a long silence, he initiated yet another random conversation.

"Hey, Haru, what's your favorite tea?"

"Wow, that's unexpected..."

"Just answer me..."

"Hmm..." I scratched my chin thoughtfully, "I guess I like fruit-scented teas, especially ones with sweet fragranceー" I glanced at the peach tea, "but I also like matcha."

"Matcha? Isn't that like, really hard to find?"

"Yeah, it is."

"And it's also expensive."

"I wouldn't turn down a hot cup of matcha or matcha latte no matter how expensive it is." I stated firmly.

"Wow, you really love tea."

"Yeap," I beamed, "Kiku loves them too. Whenever he feels anxious or tired, I would make tea for him so it would calm his nerves."

"That's nice," Sabo approved as he raised his own bottle of tea, "then I shall make tea for you every morning too!"

"What no!" I shook my head, "why would you go to so much trouble to do that?"

"Because I want to," Sabo said straightforwardly with no hesitation, "will you accept it?"

"If you made me tea, of course I would accept it!" I told him. Somehow, my answer made Sabo laugh heartily.

"Then, I'm glad!" he said, his face brightening, as if he received some reward from me. _It's just tea though._ Suddenly, an idea popped in my head. I grabbed the bottle he was holding in his hand and my own bottle. Then, I swiped up a dark marker from Sabo's coat pocket and scribbled the letter 'S' on one bottle and another, a letter 'H'.

"There!" I passed the S bottle to him, "then, I'm looking forward to tea every morning!"

* * *

A few hours after breakfast, we reached the island of Evergreen. The island was mostly green with trees and shrubs, making me wonder if there's actually a town of residents there. It all looked like a big forest stretched in all directions, no sign of manmade buildings anywhere. The good side is that the air smelled really fresh and cool. Sabo and Hack began anchoring the ship on the foresty side of the island. _(Though every side is foresty, haha)_ Koala pulled me into the cabin and gave me a better attire to change into. I got dressed in a similar cream-colored blouse as Koala, a black pleated skirt and light brown boots. Plopping a black beret on my head, Koala bent down and secured black straps on my thighs, hidden by the skirt.

"What is this for, Koala?" I asked, confused.

"It's where you keep your weapons, of course," she said, storing a gun and a white metal spike on each strap. It was slightly heavy but

"Why do we need to hide it?"

"Because if your enemies see you weaponless, they'll keep their guard down and that will be easier for you to strike." Koala explained.

I gulped nervously. If there's need to hide weapons then it's probably that there will be something dangerous on the island. Finally, she handed me a small beige-colored backpack.

"Sabo and Hack will be carrying the supplies for extracting the liquor metal ore and you and I will be carrying the rations," she explained, "it will be a long hike and we'll probably have to camp somewhere as well."

"I understand," I said, taking the backpack. Before slinging it on my shoulder, I noticed the S and H bottles, tucked neatly on the sides.

"Why did you bring this?" I questioned, baffled. _Wouldn't it be a waste of space?_

"Sabo personally requested me," Koala winked, patting my back as she led me outside the cabin. Hesitantly following her, I tried thinking of reasons to why he would say that.

"We finished anchoring!" Hack reported, spotting us. Sabo was unloading a huge amount of equipment onto the shore: shovel, pickaxe, etc. After he finished unloading, he began giving instructions to the team in a loud and clear voice.

"We'll be heading straight to the part of the island called the Music Garden. I got the message that that's probably where the others are waiting for us," Sabo directed, "the important order that I'll give you this time is do not split from the group. This island is known for many of its dangerous creatures. An important warning to keep in mind the whole time we'll be in the island: while extracting the liquor metal ore, handle with utmost care. Do not EVER consume it. Use your gloves during the process. Any comments?"

Koala and Hack shook their heads, indicating that they understood. I raised my hand.

"What do you mean don't consume it?" I asked for elaboration.

"It is one of the strongest material out there with strange properties. There's speculation that it has Devil Fruit properties embedded but no-one knows how. It is known to researchers that if a piece ever gets inside your body, it will be fatal to you and cause you to irreversibly become a being that defies the natural world. Though, I don't think anyone here is stupid enough to swallow a piece of metal," Sabo shrugged.

"True," Koala nodded in agreement.

With that said, we began making our way deeper into the island. Hiking through the mountains and muddy slopes, we didn't know what would await for us. But somehow, what Sabo said struck a few curious nerves in me. I wondered what he meant by 'a being that defies the natural world'. For some reason, I got a really bad feeling about it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Spring Song**

 **Chapter 5**

 _Two Years Later_

"We'll be arriving shortly at Evergreen," the captain's voice rose loudly, startling me out of my thoughts. I quickly pulled the curtains on my cabin's window and stared at the scenery in front of me. Instead of the foliage of green mountains and trees that greeted me last time, I was shown a bustling town amidst several trees. With newly-built ships docked at its port, people swarmed the town with liveliness and activity. _It's the same town, right?_ I wondered a few times, in awe of the unfamiliar island.

Stepping out my cabin, the cabin attendant noticed me and quickly came to my side.

"Let me help you, Miss," he smiled at me and took the heavy luggage out of my hands.

"Thank you," I replied with a small voice.

I exited the cabins and got in line to dismount the cruise. After staying outside for a while, the weather was freezing. That is to be expected though as it was winter. I gently tucked in my hands into my coat's pockets to warm cabin attendant handed back the luggage and worriedly looked at me.

"Are you alone?" he asked.

I nodded, my smile never faltered.

"Do you need any help?"

"Oh no, don't worry, I have relatives here," I assured him. _What a caring person,_ I instinctively thought of someone. The cabin attendant finally left me alone. But I did lie back there. I had no relatives here. I just came on a whim for nostalgia's sake. But I could not recognize the island anymore.

To gain entry to the new tourist island, I had to pay admission.

"Hello, welcome to Evergreen," the admission saleswoman greeted me warmly, "that'll be 1000 beli for a children's pass."

Oh.

That's right. The last time I was here, it was Spring and I was permanently turned into a 10 years-old girl. Everything in my life changed here. _He_ forgot about me and my first love ended with a broken heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Spring Song Chapter 6**

 _Present Day_

We've been trudging in the mud for hours. Koala said that we're getting close to Music Garden though she'd said that an hour ago. My feet felt heavy than ever but I didn't want to burden the team, especially since Hack, Sabo and Koala kept marching on wordlessly without any complaints. Even though Sabo was carrying those heavy metal picks. I sighed. The blue sky I'd seen over the island seemed quite dark now. The forest trees that draped over the sky made it harder for light to penetrate through.

Suddenly, my left foot caught on some wed mud and I found myself losing balance and tripping forward. Instead of hitting the wet dirty mud I was expecting, I was greeted with Sabo's muscular chest. My heart raced at the sudden skinship and hastily removed myself from the arms that caught me.

"S-Sorry," I stammered sheepishly.

"Maybe we should take a break?" he suggested kindly, which is probably because he saw how much I was panting.

"No," I protested, "we won't reach our destination at this rate. Plus, it's getting dark soon. Your teammates are waiting for us."

"Oh, a little break won't hurt, Haru," Koala reassured me as she put down her backpack at a nearby stump, stepping away from the wet swampy mud. Hack agreed, putting down his supplies next to Koala's backpack. He took out his water bottle and drank a long gulp. Seeing that they're also slightly tired, I began making my way towards them.

"Haru, you're hurt." Sabo observed, staring at me.

"What?"

"Your feet. It hurts, doesn't it?" He forced me to sit down on a stump across from Koala and kneeled down. Without any warning, he removed my left boot that is tainted with dirty mud and took a closer look at my foot.

"Sabo..." I said embarrassedly when I saw how serious Sabo looked as he examined my foot. It was red and full of blisters. My once-delicate feet was not recognizable from my perspective. These feet, my mother used to say, must be preserved at all times for ballroom dancing. I felt embarrassed. Embarrassed that Sabo saw my feet. Embarrassed that my feet could only burden our journey.

"You're probably not used to it," Sabo smiled reassuringly at me. He took out his small portable water flask and a cool sensation spread over my blisters, placating the burning soreness of my foot. Then, he reached for his white cotton handkerchief and neatly tied it around my foot.

"I'm no doctor but this is the best idea I've got," Sabo scratched his head shyly, "I'm not sure if it'll help anything but at least, it'll soften the impact of your foot on those boots."

"Thanks, Sabo, you really impressed me." I smiled at him. _He's such a sweet guy._ I almost surprised myself at my sudden thought, though his warm personality made me feel comfortable in his presence. My eyes met his for a moment before we both looked away. _What?..._ I found myself surprised at my reaction.

However, that moment did not last very long. Hack stood up abruptly.

"We got guests..." he warned. Koala and Sabo stood up as well, alerted. Suddenly, 10 men in dark brown uniform appeared before us. They were equiped with weapons and walkie-talkies. I gasped because we were obviously outnumbered. I quickly pulled my left boot over my foot and prepared to fight.

"Well, what do we have here..." one of the men menacingly grinned at us.

"Trespassers, it seems..." another with a large red scar over his right eye replied.

"Trespassers? You must be wrong. Evergreen is currently not under any organization or government rule." Koala challenged them.

"Boss, we have some pirates here," a smallest man of the ten began reporting onto a walkie-talkie. Not wasting any time, Koala threw a sharp knife towards him. With dead on accuracy, the knife hits the walkie-talkie and it flies out of the man's hands.

"Sorry, we're not here looking for any trouble with mercenaries," Koala said. The men all growled, their playful demeanors replaced with serious expressions. Sabo unsheathed his classic metal pipe and put a protective arm in front of me, as if to tell me to step back. I felt a rush of adrenaline but for some reason, I also felt afraid. The adventurous feeling did not come like before. The sheer number of enemies this time frightened me to an extent.

"Stay back, ok?" Sabo whispered, his eyes fixed at the enemies' movements. I nodded hesitantly. The men readied themselves and began charging towards us. In a swift move, Sabo's pipe hit the back of one head and his back leg slamming onto another stomach. Hack and Koala got into their fishman karate stances and began taking out the men without any trouble. Sabo jumped over several men and in mid-air, he swang his metal pipe, hitting each target efficiently. I was fixated at him. He was not just a fighter, he was an excellent one at that. Koala and Hack also took down their targets quickly. While I was watching them, I did not notice the man with the unique scar charging towards me. By the time I noticed, he had unsheathed his knife and had me at a headlock. With his knife right beside my neck, I screamed.

I panicked. I was careless and I had no one to blame for. Now, I'm causing yet another burden. I thought I was ready when I took down a man at the ports but I got carried away. Now, I might cost the team their mission or worse, their lives. My heart beat fast and I was trembling. I had never been at such a dangerous position before.

"Haru!" Koala cried. Nine of the men were down but this one was almost strangling me.

"Damnit!" Hack cursed under his breath.

"Leave her alone!" Sabo warned the mercenary.

"Now, that would be a stupid thing to do. You took out nine of my men. This girl's gonna die if you don't do what I say." the scarred man snarled. I contemplated what I should do. _They're going to die because of me!_ My inner consciousness screamed in desperation.

"Tell me what you're doing here." the mercenary yelled.

"W-We came here to search for our friends..." Koala panicked.

"Hush, Koala," Sabo snapped, almost silently. Koala quickly covered her mouth and I could see her trying to calm down. _Ugh. I hate this situation!_

"Wait, I know," the man smirked almost knowingly, "I know you..." He stared intimidatingly into Sabo's eyes. "You're Sabo, from the Revolutionary Army. You're here to obtain the liquor metal ore."

"How do you know that, you beast?" Hack said, hostile.

"I'm not obligated to tell you, but since you're going to die anyway, I'll catch." the man grinned, "my boss and I met your friends earlier. They're not quite friendly but I don't think any members of the Revolutionary Army are friendly to government-based corporates, am I right?"

"You killed them, you savage!" Koala began shouting angrily at him.

"No, not yet anyways, pumpkin," he said nonchalantly, "we'll be sending them over to the Marines for rewards." He chuckled.

"I'm going to make you pay..." Sabo threatened, his eyes fuming with rage. With the man chuckling, I noticed that he had let his guard down. My heart thumping loudly in my chest, I gathered all my courage to elbow him on the side with my right arm and used the other hand to twist his wrist, dropping the knife he used to threaten me. He groaned with pain as I threw myself out of his clutch. He quickly recoiled, his arms reaching for me. Before he could get a grip on me, however, he was thrown to the muddy ground and Sabo's pipe was dangerously pointed at his neck. _He saved me. Again..._

"Are you okay, Haru?" Koala ran towards me, "that was so scary!"

"I'm fine, Koala..." I tried to sound strong but my voice seemed to come out shaky instead.

"Tell me where my friends are," Sabo said, threateningly. Instead of being intimidated, the man laughed.

"I may be a mere mercenary but one of our strict rules is not to sell out our boss." he said. The metal pipe pushes against the man's neck but he continued speaking without a flinch. "You don't have the guts, kid. You won't kill me."

"He might not, but I will," Hack stepped in, glaring at the man.

Sabo did not speak. His pipe does not move as well as he took a long bitter look at his enemy.

"Fine," he said carefully, "you're right. I won't kill you. But I know what to do." Without any warning, he smacked the blunt end of the pipe onto the man's head, knocking him out.

"What are you doing, Sabo?" Hack inquired, "he's dangerous."

"Yes, I know, Hack," Sabo replied, "we'll tread this carefully instead. From what we've heard, there's this rich corporate on this island, doing some business or some sort here. For some reason, they have our friends alive. However, if we were to save them, we have to approach this patiently since they've hired some mercenaries here." His voice gradually returned to his neutral, carefree tone although a moment ago, he was threatening the man with such a dangerous expression. I tried to stay composed as well but I was shamefully still shaking from the previous experience.

"What's our plan?" Koala asked.

"Hack and I will disguise ourselves as mercenaries while you and Haru will be keeping a lookout from faraway. I'd like you to investigate what the company is doing here in this island but prioritize your safety." Sabo commanded.

"Right," Koala nodded, "are you sure you're fine with it though?" she added.

"What?"

"Are you fine with leaving Haru with me?" _Oh. Am I baggage?_ I thought regretfully.

"I won't make the same mistake again, I promise!" I cut in, "I won't burden you guys!"

"Oh, we're not worried about that, Haru," Hack said, ruffling my hair, "you're new at this. It's natural to be nervous."

"Actually, it's not fine," Sabo snapped, startling me. "You almost got yourself killed. Stay close to Koala and don't let your guard down." I was surprised and a bit frightened by Sabo's tone. But I didn't say anything back. I jeopardized everyone's lives and I think I deserved that.

"Sabo!" Koala scowled.

"This is not a walk in a park, Koala! We don't have time to make mistakes." Sabo dismissed her and began picking up the mercenaries' gear. Hack gave a sympathetic look at me and followed Sabo to change into their disguises.

"Don't worry about it, Haru," Koala patted my shoulder, "he gets like this every time when the people he cares about gets hurt. It probably didn't help that his friends are captured and you almost got killed. He'll get over it. Don't think too much about it. He's such a worrywart!" Koala tried to cheer me up. I did not particularly feel disappointed when Sabo scolded me but the look in his eyes scared me. It reminded me of someone who has a traumatic past. His eyes were empty and hollow for a second. I felt guilty when I was caught by the mercenary but it showed a side of Sabo that I've never seen before. A dark side that I didn't know exist. However, I did not have time thinking about this any further. I've got to focus on this mission if I want to prevent the same mistake from happening again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Spring Song**

 **Author's Note:** Omg, ok, I'm extremely happy for that first review! TO ANONYMOUS: Thanks for the lovely review! I was actually very embarrassed about my writing skills but I'm so glad that there's someone enjoying it. I do have a long way to go but your friendly review was very encouraging! Thanks for reading as always, guise :D

x

 **Chapter 7**

After that little fiasco we had earlier, I admit that I was feeling quite down. I didn't know what to say to Sabo. He seemed genuinely angry at me and that burst he had still remained fresh in my mind. It scared me, maybe because I was unfamiliar with this side of his. Usually, I was greeted with his warm personality and carefree jokes. Even though Koala told me to leave him be for a while, I was worried.

After walking silently as a group, we approached the less muddier side of the forest. There was tension in the air but no one dared to speak anything. However, after walking for so long, I realized that the sky was already dark. Evening had come.

"Let's camp here tonight," Sabo briskly said.

"Agreed." Hack followed. Everyone put their stuff down and I gently rubbed my aching back, relieved that we finally stopped for the night.

"That's odd," Koala came beside me, "I didn't think the island was this wide. We should have reached Music Garden a while ago..."

"You guys rest up," Hack spoke towards us, "we'll set up the tent."

"Thanks, Hack," Koala said gratefully and I smiled at him in appreciation. Then, she turned towards me.

"Does your feet still hurt, Haru?" she asked with a tint of worry in her voice.

"No, not really, thanks for asking..."

"If it does, don't hesitate to tell me," Koala stood up and reached into her large backpack that she'd been carrying. She took out four bundles of salted riceballs, neatly wrapped up in clean banana leaves. She handed one towards me and quickly went to pass the rest out to Hack and Sabo just as they finished setting up the tent.

Maybe it was my fault that there was so much tension in the air between the four of us. The meal was eerily very quiet. Koala and I sat on one corner while the two guys sat at the opposite far end. I could see Hack looking at me sympathetically while Sabo just avoided to meet my gaze. Koala was a wonderful company, nevertheless. She tried to take my mind off things as she talked about anything that comes to mind. She was cheery and she never fails to make me smile, even in times like these. Though Sabo and I are giving each other a temporary (I hope) silent treatment, she could see how troubled I was. In order to the avoid an awkward moment with Sabo, she stayed by my side the entire time. She even urged me to go to bed early with her so that I wouldn't have to _painfully (?)_ face Sabo while we wait for each other to sleep. Koala fell asleep as soon as she hit the tent, making me toss and turn several times. Reflecting on today's events, I also succumbed to my exhaustion and eventually drifted off to sleep as well. It was a long day.

x

x

 _-Sabo_ -

Little did Haru knew, Sabo was also troubled by the way he treated her. He couldn't stop thinking about the tone he used at her, followed by her expression full of regret and hurt. He was sure that after today, she would hate him. The entire time, walking through the thick forest, with that awfully dreary atmosphere, he couldn't stop thinking about her feet. She was probably enduring it as we kept on walking. He felt horrible, pretending to be oblivious to the fact that she was forcing herself to walk, all while being a coward, refusing to apologize to her. After an hour of regret and contemplation, he finally brought himself to tell the team to stop for the night. He was further haunted by a wave of relief on Haru's face when he said that, proving that she has indeed been forcing herself to walk all along.

To Sabo, these feelings are new to him. He was protective of his teammates, but he was especially protective over Haru. That was why he lost control when he snapped at her earlier. He pretended not to know what he's feeling. He kept convincing himself that it's because she is her important nakama, but in reality, he probably knew what was deep inside him. Every time Haru looked at him, he couldn't help but look away. _Thank God Koala's with her._

"Maybe you should go talk to her?" Hack suggested out of a blue, a while after the girls had gone to sleep in the tent.

"Why would you say that?" Sabo tried to keep calm, but in his mind, he was startled by Hack's sudden statement.

"It's killing you, Sabo," Hack almost grinned, "it's literally written all over your face."

"Shut up," Sabo mumbled.

"Well, I'm going to sleep too." Hack stood up and went into the tent, leaving Sabo alone.

After an hour, Sabo also decided to get some sleep. He removed his hat and goggles, revealing messy blonde hair. Once he was inside the tent, he was flabbergasted at the arrangement. The four sleeping bags were arranged this way: Haru, _blank_ , Koala, Hack. _Goddamnit, Hack, Koala..._ he thought as he silently crawled onto the soft sleeping bag. He placed his pipe at the base of his sleeping bag and settled in. Hack snoring from his left, he turned over to his right in annoyance, as if to deafen the snores as much as possible. His gaze automatically turned towards Haru and her peaceful sleeping face. In a split second, he forgot all about the annoying snores. Making sure to not make any sounds, he listened to her breathing and observed her face with the little moonlight that shone through the tent's covers. He wasn't sure if he had properly noticed it before, but she was beautiful.

She has this porcelain skin and light brown hair that perfectly framed her face. _Her bangs are certainly getting long,_ he observed, as he gently used his fingers to brush a few strands away from her face. For some reason, he wanted to stare at her face a little longer, though, he was getting embarrassed because of how inappropriate it suddenly seemed to be. _Stalker much?_ A voice in his head piped up. He felt his face consequently heat up. _I shouldn't be embarrassed_ , he suddenly argued back with himself. He's not the kind of person to be crazy over a girl, especially his important teammate.

But he couldn't help but wonder what is it that draws him so much towards her. He questioned himself repetitively but whenever he does so, his mind was already programmed to give an answer. He suddenly imagined her bright blue eyes that twinkled whenever she spotted him and her dimpled smile whenever he makes a joke. She's selfless, compassionate and honest. He has never been so obsessed with someone that much before. Even Koala...

He slowly closed his eyes and let the darkness take over. It has been a long day.

x

Sabo's eyes fluttered open. Something was strange, he can sense it. He quickly sat up and tiredly squinted his eyes. But then, he noticed how dark it still was and realized that he must have awoken in the middle of the night. He heard the familiar annoying snores on his left and sighed. He subconscious glanced over to his right and was suddenly alarmed. Haru wasn't in her sleeping bag. He got up, grabbed his pipe and without making any sound, he pushed himself out of the comfort of his sleeping bag and out of the tent.

Sabo looked upwards and saw a beautiful full moon. The dark sky was lighted up by the shimmery moonlight and he was grateful for that. With the moonlight guiding his way, he left his flashlight in his bag and was determined to find Haru. He was plagued with thoughts that she had already left him because she was sick of him. But he quickly shook his thoughts away and climbed up the hill that was surrounded by the foliage of large thick trees. _Where are you, Haru?_ Sabo thought. Climbing up, he felt his legs becoming slightly tired but he endured it. At the top, he encountered several more thick shrubs that were effortlessly pushed out of the way by his metal pipe. There, he arrived at a clearing and heard a voice he longed to hear, reciting something familiar to Sabo.

...

"You're a foolish person. There are dark clouds above your head, _constantly_ raining daggers on you. You grow these sharp edges around yourself, absolutely refusing to let anyone in. I hate that and I _hate_ you. I absolutely HATE you... but you are terribly the most real thing in my terribly false world that I cannot bring myself not to care about you." Her voice trailed away, and Sabo saw her sitting on the ground at the edge of the cliff, her wavy hair fluttering along the wind and the moonlight radiating against her fair skin. He could not make out the expression on her face. He stepped closer towards her. Instinctively, he recited back.

"The sad truth is, my dear Felicia, I am everything you said." Sabo's voice startled Haru as he stepped closer and closer towards her. "I am broken in many ways. Afraid in a hundred more. My heart is worn out. But I won't walk away from you, knowing that I can never go back if I do. Despite wishing otherwise, I love you." he recited his dialogue perfectly and the next thing he knew, Haru was standing in front of him, staring right into his eyes. Unlike that evening, neither of them looked away.

"The Aesthetic Nightmare," she said, breaking the silence in a voice almost too quite for Sabo to hear, "you've heard of it before."

"I-I'm not sure how I know this poem..." he said, "I've heard of it somewhere before."

"It's not a poem, Sabo, it's a play," Haru said, pausing. Sabo noticed how surprised she looked. He had just noticed her expression now. Then, her voice quivering, she said, "Have I met you before, Sabo?"

"What do you mean?" he was as confused as ever. Her serious expression made him nervous. He waited to hear what she had to say.

"That play was written by my grandmother before she passed away. Since then, it has only been performed once. That was 8 years ago, in Eria Kingdom, where 50 noble families from around the world were invited." Haru slowly explained, "Sabo, you told me you lost your memories when you were 10 years old. I think that you were a noble."

x

x

x

A long silence followed the two of them. Sabo exhaled and sat down at the edge of the cliff, motioning Haru to do the same.

"I don't know how to react to this." he said, "whether that's the truth or not, I don't particularly care. The me now isn't some noble living in luxury and imposing my status to get whatever the hell I want. I'm Sabo, of the Revolutionary Army."

Haru paused. Then, she suddenly laughed, surprising Sabo.

"That's a good answer," she laughed, "oh my god, and here I was, being serious for nothing." She wiped off her tears in laughter. "I sure thought that it would have been, like, a key to unlocking your lost memories." She doubled over, laughing uncontrollably. Sabo's grim mood faded away. _Man, I was worried for nothing._

"Thanks, Haru," Sabo said, "you always seem obliterate all my worries away. Anyway, listen..." he stared seriously at Haru who has already calmed down. "I'm really sorry about today. I didn't mean you snap at you and I'm really, really sorry for my terrible attitude. I know you hate me and I totally understand. I was inconsiderate about you and even though you hurt your footー" Sabo babbled off until Haru pinched his arm, "ーOW!"

"Oh my god, please shut up for a second," Haru said, "I could never hate you, Sabo. And it's fine. I understand why you did that. Koala told me all about it. You were just worried about me, right?"

Sabo nodded sheepishly.

"My foot also doesn't hurt anymore," Haru said but Sabo kept guiltily looking down at his dangling feet off the cliff. Haru gently pushed Sabo, scaring him and giving him a sudden jolt.

"I almost fell!" Sabo protested, goosebumps all over his skin.

"Good!" Haru said nonchalantly, "now, do I have your full attention?" She cleared her throat and began speaking again. "Anyway, I'm sorry for putting myself in danger today too. I know I'm still very inexperienced and possibly a burden to you. But I really, really hate that silent treatment. In the future, can you please just talk to me if things turn bad again?"

"..."

"..."

"You're not a burden, Haru," Sabo said.

"What?"

"I said, nobody thinks that you're a burden. You're an important teammate." he stared right into her eyes as he said this. He meant it and he wanted to convey it to Haru.

"Then, promise me you won't ever give me that silent treatment again."

"I promise."

"Good." Haru laid her back onto the ground, staring right at the moon. She patted the grass beside her, "join me." He did. His eyes met with the most spectacular scenery of the night sky. The moon was in the center of it all and he couldn't think of anyone more special to join with him.

"The moon is very pretty today." Haru hummed a gentle, melancholic melody after she said this. Sabo laid beside her, just enjoying her company.

"So, what's the play about?" Sabo tried to make conversation to distract himself from just staring at her face.

"The Aesthetic Nightmare?" Haru closed her eyes for a second, "well, it's about a lady who fell in love with an assassin. I suppose the thing that struck me the most about this story is the theme of forbidden love. A terribly real thing in a terribly false world... that's such an amazing thing to say to someone," Then, her cheeks suddenly became red as she realized that she may have just accidentally implied something to Sabo. She hastily turned towards Sabo who was still observing her carefully and listening to her. As quickly as her shyness came, it disappeared. She suddenly felt comfortable to speak and babble whatever's on her mind again. She thought about her grandmother and in delight, her face pressed closer to Sabo's. Not realizing the faint blush on his cheeks, Haru continued on.

"And do you know what the most fascinating part is?" Haru's eyes twinkled with excitement, "I heard it was a true story. Apparently, Grandma really did fall in love with an assassin."

"That sounds like a fun love story." Sabo replied, enticed by the sparkle in Haru's eyes as he said this. He grinned at her, feeling a flush of happiness just being able to listen her talk and smile at him. As Haru babbled on about other things, relieved that both of them are finally back on good terms, Sabo found himself unable to concentrate on what she's saying. At that moment, he realized something about himself that he finally was able to admit. He was afraid to, at first, but now, things were different. He wanted to cling on. The reason why he was so protective of her, the reason why he was so haunted by her sad expressions, why he was so obsessed with her... He can't help it.

 _Haruna Lacie, you are terribly the most real thing in my terribly false world. Despite wishing otherwise,_ _I love you._

x


	8. Chapter 8

**Spring Song Chapter 8**

 _ **Author's Note:**_ TO MY DEAREST REVIEWERS: Thank you for posting such sweet reviews and being so supportive! I am so happy to receive such friendly comments from you. I'll definitely try my best not to disappoint you with what I've planned for this story. My hopes for this story is to make it fluffy and shoujo manga-like and I kinda was embarrassed the entire time writing this chapter. Anyways, thank you again for reading yay :D

x

- _Haruna_ -

Sabo...

The small moment I shared with him last night kept flashing back. It was the first time in forever I was explicitly told that I am genuinely cared for. I remember his eyes, full of honesty and sincerity, staring into mine. _What makes me so special?_ I couldn't help wondering. I just met him, yet, he seemed to occupy so much of my thoughts. Deep in my heart, I knew what the unexplainable chemistry between us was but I was scared. I was afraid that I'd ruin the relationship I had, especially if I "act".

When we went back to the tent, we tucked ourselves in and said our 'good-night's. I couldn't bear for him to watch me sleep so I had turned my back on him, but for some reason, I had the impression that he was staring at my back the entire night.

The next morning, we gathered our stuff and began making our way to our destination once again. Koala and Hack were especially very relieved that we made up. I quickly apologized to them for worrying them. Finally, we found the end of the forest and were met with the most beautiful meadow. The colorful flowers embedded on the grass, the bright blue sky, the fresh air... I had never seen such a spectacular view. I was in awe.

"Haru?" Koala asked, watching me gape at the change of scenery.

"Don't tell me you have never seen a flower field before?" Sabo laughed heartily. He began making his way into the infinite horizons of the meadow. "Come on, soon we'll reach Music Garden."

"Are you kidding me? This isn't Music Garden yet?" Hack groaned, forcing his feet to work again.

"We'll reach Music Garden once we see a lavender garden." Koala said, inspecting a poorly drawn map of the island. _Lavenders..._ I visualized beautiful purple flowers, stretching across a wide area of land. I've always wanted to see them in its natural place. Back at Eria Kingdom, our mansion had gardeners taking care of the garden but my parents had always hated outdoors gardening. They'd say that gardens are useless and all they ever do is soil our clothes. I was forbidden from playing in the garden ever since I was a child. I'd look out the window and imagine the fragrance of each flower. Inside our mansion, all that was decorated along the corridors were fake plastic flowers. Suddenly, I caught ahold of myself and quickly shook those nostalgic thoughts out of my head. I turned towards Koala who was still scrutinizing her pitiful map.

"Koala, is that the map you've been using to guide us all along?" I gawked at her. The map was such a bad quality one that I couldn't believe we even reached the meadows.

Koala nodded sheepishly.

"Koala!" I wailed. No wonder we took so much time just to get through the forest.

"Sorry, it was the only one we could find..." she said.

We walked through the meadow in peace again. I preferred that as well since I took the time to slowly ingest the breathtaking view around me. There was not a sign of any more mercenaries, though I can't help but wonder if that's a good sign. Slowing making our way through the meadow, we climbed up some grassy hills.

"I'll take your bag," Sabo offered considerately. Without my approval, he had already pulled the backpack off my back.

"No, it's okay. You're already carrying so much stuff," I protested.

"It's fine, Haru," he smiled at me, obviously looking out for me.

"Thank you..." I said hesitantly. Nevertheless, Sabo was the first to reach the top with the enormous stamina he has. His gaze was fixated forward as his expression slowly broke into a wide toothy grin.

"Hey, guys!" he shouted excitedly, "there's the Music Garden!" He pointed onwards while the rest of us climbed tiredly up the hill. He impatiently crossed his arms. "Man, you guys are so slow." He complained jokingly as his arm reached forward towards me and with his strength, he effortlessly pulled me up. _He helped me again..._ I thought, eyeing him in appreciation. While I panted, he gently placed his arms over my shoulders and turned towards the a spread of a bright lavender field. _It's the Music Garden._..I stared forward in amazement. There was our destination. I couldn't help smiling either. It made us feel like our progress was not for nothing. _We are so close to rescuing Sabo's friends!_ I couldn't help feeling so elevated and definitely more motivated.

"We'll take a lunch break here," Koala announced, handing out our last packed lunches. We laid down on the grass and rested. I deeply inhaled through the fresh air and I couldn't help admiring how beautiful the island was. After I stuffed down the last of my riceballs, I told Koala, who was still eating, that I was going to take a walk.

I walked towards the far end of the hill and discovered a large cherry blossom tree in the midst of thick green trees. It stood out the most and I gently placed my hand on the bark. Everything around was filled with life, nature and the freshest atmosphere. I couldn't believe that I was going to fight anyone here. It seemed too peaceful for anything dangerous to happen around here but I guess I couldn't judge that based on appearances alone.

I sat down beside the cherry blossom tree and closed my eyes. A cool breeze picked up a few of my untamed strands off my face.

Suddenly, I felt a tender hand gently brushing a part of my front bangs away. I opened my eyes on reflex and Sabo was there. He was kneeling down in front of me and I was met with his face staring right into mine.

"S-Sabo, what are you doing hereー" I began, but when I saw the earnest look in his eyes, my voice gradually trailed off. At that moment, it seemed as if time had stopped. I couldn't perceive anything around me besides Sabo's presence. My gaze met with his and images of last night flashed back into my mind.

"Haru..." her name danced on his lips, "can I tell you something?" I noticed slight hesitation in his voice and his fidgety body language as he said this.

I slowly nodded, our gazes still locked tightly to one another.

"IーI can't keep my eyes away from you," he spoke slowly, "I can't help but care about you." He took a deep breath and I saw his lips slightly quivering. _Is he nervous?_ He continued in a soft voice, "You make me feel something I've never felt before. You make me unsure of myself, make me lose control. W-When I look at you..." he paused nervously as I could hear my heart pounding in my chest, "I can't help and think that you're the most beautiful woman alive." His face was beet-red and I was sure that mine was no different. _Is this a dream?_ I thought, unable to believe what I'm hearing.

"What are you saying, Sabo?" I whispered.

"I...I like you, Haru," Sabo confessed wholeheartedly. There was silence between us and I was gaping at him. _He's...WHAT!_ My heart was racing and my mind was bombarded with questions and emotions, making me stammer in incoherent word fragments. I consequently felt my face heat up and I was sure that my face was the color of the bright crimson roses I saw earlier in the flower field.

"Bah...Buh..." I stuttered embarrassingly as I shoved my hands onto his face, pushing him back with all my strength. I heard his yelp of surprise as he was slightly thrusted back. However, he quickly recoiled and with his two hands, he shook my shoulders.

"Calm down, Haru..." he said while I almost died of embarrassment.

"S-Sorry!" I buried my face in my hands, and I probably won't be coming out for the next 24 hours. The things he said to me earlier PLUS his _confession_ was still processing through my brain. _Did he just tell me that I'm beautiful? And did he just say that he likes me? Wait...maybe he just meant 'like as a friend...'ー_

 _"_ And in case you misunderstand me, Haru, I mean to tell you that I like you romantically, not just as a friend..." Sabo added on slowly, interrupting my chain of thoughtsー _okay, so he meant to tell me he likes me romantically...he likes me romantーHE LIKES ME ROMANTICALLY?!_ I screeched in my mind. One might argue that that was a squeal rather than a screech but I wasn't ready to accept it just yet.

"Please look at me, Haru," Sabo pleaded after a while, his voice beginning to sound desperate. He was probably confused with my reaction and I don't blame him. My mind, in its current state, is chaos and I couldn't believe what was unfolding in front of me. I was confessed to and I had no idea how to react to it. The question remains: do I like him back?

I felt Sabo's warm hands overlap mine which was doing a very bad job of burying my face in them. His touch gave me an electrifying sensation across my skin. He gently pulled my fingers off my face and he was surprised to see tears streaming down my face. My face was red, my cheeks burning with emotions and at that moment, I wasn't quite sure why I cried.

"I-I'm sorry," I stuttered, hastily wiping my tears, "I don't know what came over me..." _It's not a dream..._ "I-I don't know what to say..." _But_ _I do,_ I hung back shamefully before blurting out one of things I have never thought I would say in the duration of this trip, "I'm afraid I like you too, Sabo..." I sniffed. I didn't dare look at Sabo's face. I was scared of his reaction.

A pause ensued. Suddenly, Sabo pulled me in for a hug and compassionately patted my head.

"I would give you my handkerchief but unfortunately, it's currently wrapped around your foot," he said light-heartedly. After stroking my hair a while more, he gushed, "Oh damn... I'm so happy..." I detected his tone to be less nervous and subtly becoming more livelyーthe positive atmosphere I have always loved around him.

I gave in to my feelings. What is there to hesitate about? I like him and he likes me. There is nothing more I have ever wanted. I returned the hug and whispered.

"Me too..." I began feeling affectionate inside. There's no way to stop these feelings anymore. I wanted this hug to last forever.

"Koala and Hack's gonna be pissed off..." I worriedly said, remembering that we were currently racing against time.

"I dont care〜" he threw his head back and laughed, any sign of shyness I've seen earlier was gone. My tears had also dried up. Soon, before I knew it, I was laughing too. His laugh is incredibly contagious! Still wrapped in his arms and just casually sitting on the grass, surrounded by one of the most spectacular sceneries I will have ever experienced in my life, next to the most beautiful cherry blossom tree, I could not think of a more perfect confession. I was so, so, happy. _Man, screw it, I am literally on cloud nine!_

x

- _Two years later_ -

Unfortunately, that was all in the past. Whenever I think back to this blissful moment, I can't help but yearn to revisit Sabo's hug. It was the warmest, most loving hug I have ever received. But why did things have to turn out this way?

" _Music Garden,"_ the intercom announced. The bus's doors swang open and I followed a few people out of the bus. With a small pink suitcase in my hand, I glanced at the so-called current Music Garden. The lavender garden was swarmed with tourists and a few security guarding the entrance of the garden. I instinctively turned 180 degrees towards a large familiar hill. My eyes automatically went searching for _it_ and finally, I was able to spot it.

A lone cherry blossom tree sat upon the top of the hill, surrounded by the same large green trees. What's different from two years ago were a few recognizable paper charms hanging around the tree. _I see. It's not just my special place anymore._ I thought resentfully but I didn't blame anyone for it. My memories there were still as precious as it did a day after _that day_ happened. Without further doubt clouding my judgement, I began making my way towards it.

"Miss?" one of the guards at the Music Garden entrance called me, probably bewildered by the fact that I was heading opposite from the tourist attraction. Nevertheless, I did not stop. I just had to go there. Why? Perhaps to remind myself of the first broken love I had. But I still couldn't answer one thing. _Just exactly why did things have to turn out this way?_

x

 **End of Chapter 8**


	9. Chapter 9

**Spring Song**

Author's Note: Sorry for the slow update and thanks for the support, guys. Your reviews are all so adorable and sorry if I had you waiting for quite a bit. I had a bit of a writer's block and I'm really busy in school these days. Really appreciate it for being so patient too! :D - Anyway, I hope this chapter makes a bit more progress with the plot and I hope it sounds interesting to you. Hehe.

x

 **Chapter 9**

We have officially arrived at the Music Garden!

We were surrounded by rows of pleasantly scented purple flowers. Although the journey to get here was tiring as hell, the beautiful flower field of lavenders greeted us warmly and suddenly, we were all in a good mood. It was as if these flowers were magic itself!

Well, maybe I was exaggerating quite a bit. _I_ was especially in a good mood since I've never seen such a magnificent sight. I felt like a child, marvelling at every single thing I saw in this country.

"Wow, you really haven't seen a flower field before..." Koala exclaimed at the sight of me being super excited. Sabo and Hack laughed in unison.

"It's so pretty, Koala!" I spread my arms and inhaled the overwhelming fragrance of the lavenders.

Sabo came up beside me; the poor guy carrying my backpack after I'd thrown them off excitedly the moment we arrived.

"Haru, there's a petal stuck on your hair," he said softly as he gently brushed it away. I immediately turned pink at his touch, and the fact that he had been watching me squeal at all those flowers like a little girl. Ugh. _Why is he so mature?_

"T-Thanks..." I quickly pulled my backpack off his arms. "I'll carry these myself!"

"Sure," he smiled at me, oblivious to how flustered I was.

"Hey, guys," Hack and Koala regrouped with us. "I don't see any of our friends."

"That's weird," Sabo said thoughtfully as he looked around. The atmosphere was so peaceful but I still couldn't shake a certain eerie feeling that has been making me feel nauseous for quite a while.

"What are those boxes?" I asked as I pointed at large wooden crates messily scattered around a large tree. We instinctively walked there to examine it. It was painted with a large red logo. I froze. I can recognize that logo anywhere.

"L-Lacie Enterprise?" I gasped, covering my mouth. The bright red company name was scrawled on the sides of the boxes and the sight of them almost made me throw up. Suddenly, I felt my throat tighten up a bit and I knew I was panicking but I couldn't calm down. Images of my parents, my brother and the glass interior of my company back at Eria Kingdom flashed up instantaneously, overloading into my mind. What are _they_ doing here? What if they find me? _They're going to kill me! I-I._.. ーSabo's hand grasped mine and before I knew it, his worried eyes were peering right into mine.

"Calm down, Haru," he murmured. The next thing I knew, everyone was staring at me. I tried to calm down and I slowly took a deep breath.

"What does that mean to you?" Koala asked, surprised at my reaction. Oh, that's right. I hadn't told Hack and Koala about my past yet.

"Lacie... isn't Lacie your family name? Could this be your family business?" Sabo asked reluctantly.

"I-It is..." I answered. I was still shocked at the familiar sight of the logo. Though I had calmed down, there were hundreds of questions flooding into my mind. What in the world is it doing here? Where are Sabo's subordinates? Did my parents have a role in Sabo's missing subordinates?

"What?!" Hack and Koala exclaimed at my response, both in bewilderment. They glanced at each other as they didn't know what to make of it.

"But I absolutely have no idea what's going on..." I told them, equally confused.

"Even if that's the case, I still don't see Kou and the others anywhere," Koala observed, "I'm pretty sure this was the meeting place."

"Something must've happened," Hack said thoughtfully.

"Let's go further." Sabo prompted.

The four of us treaded further into the field where we found a deep tunnel on the side of a small mountain. Sabo grabbed his flashlight and shone the way, leading us into the tunnel. At that moment, I had a bad feeling that slowly crept its way into my guts. Looking back, I shouldn't have ignored it. If I had turned away at that moment... But we didn't.

* * *

Once we reached the end of the tunnel, we discovered a large-scale business operation taking place. I gasped at the sight of it. Workers wearing Lacie Enterprise logo were diligently passing along similar sealed wooden crates. There was a large tent was situated in the middle of the once-grassy field. The grass was obviously mowed out to make way for the tents and whatever my family operation was doing there. It was carelessly done as well, making me cringe a bit at their handiwork. How dare they ruin a place in such a beautiful island!

The middle sections of the mountains surrounding the field were uglily hollowed out to reveal manmade caves. A continuous flow of workers went in and out; the ones coming out were carrying those wooden crates full of heavy-looking rocks. I knew instantly what they were. Those familiar golden-brown rocks... it was the liquor metal ore; the exact ones Sabo's subordinates were ordered to retrieve.

"H-Haru..." Koala began speaking in a nervous voice, "what the hell is this..." We froze at our spot as we took in what's unfolding in front of us.

"Guys!" Sabo snapped, pulling Koala and me behind a stack of crates, out of the workers' sights.

"Sorry." I whispered an apology. Hack and Sabo peered out of the small peeping hole inbetween the crates.

"What's going on," I wondered. Koala and I stretched our necks to see as well.

A large ATV (all-terrain vehicle) accelerated towards the middle of the field and screeched to a sharp stop. The vehicle's doors slammed open and a light brown haired man, dressed pompously in an expensive-looking suit, stepped out. I almost screamed. Though technically, I sorta did.

"Kiku!?" I exclaimed. In the process, I had subconsciously stood out of the hiding place and revealed myself.

My brother looked up and his eyes grew as wide as mine.

"Sister!" he cried. "What are you doing here!"

I ran towards him and pulled him into a warm hug, my tears building up in the corners of my eyes. He returned the hug with no hesitation as he wrapped his strong arms around my frail body. It was a simple gesture but it was long overdue. The feeling of my brother's hug soothed me more than I had ever expected. After a long hug, he let me go and grabbed my hands.

"Have you gotten thinner?" he said, "Haruna, your arms are so skinny! Where have you been all this time! I've missed you!"

"I miss you too, Kiku," I wiped the tears off my eyes. My friends slowly revealed themselves as well, as they made their way towards Kiku and me.

Suddenly, Kiku's warm expression grew grim. His eyes turned cold as he tightened his grip around my wrist and glared icily at my friends, especially Sabo.

"Haruna," he began, "is this where you've been? Were you associating with _criminals_?" He emphasized that word while making a disgusted face.

"Hey!" Koala intercepted, scowling at Kiku, "watch your mouth!" Kiku crossed his arms at her and looked at me disappointedly, as if waiting for me to make up an excuse.

"They're my friends," I tried to reason with him, "they've been helping me all along."

"After you ran away?"

"Kiku!" I became shocked at his tone. It had suddenly become more aggressive towards me. _I thought Kiku looked up to pirates and any enemy of the government!_

"I'm sorry, Haruna. I am happy to see you but I can't forgive you. You left me for _them_!" he said.

"I didn't leave you for anyone! I was leaving home for _me_! I was going to go back for you! And I thought you hated the government and our company!" I shook my head, "why are you working for Mother and Father's company?"

"I didn't have a choice, Haruna," Kiku said quietly, "I had nothing left."

I halted at the slightest hint of hurt in his voice.

"What are you doing here, Kiku?" I said. "If Mother and Father sent you here..."

"Kou!" Hack shouted at one of the workers transporting boxes of crates. All of us turned towards him. Hack ran towards a guy with messy dark hair and the most tired looking pair of eyes I had ever seen. "Hey! What are you doing?" He shouted at Kou. The guy, called Kou, completely ignored Hack and continued to walk with heavy crates in his arms despite how exhausted his expression was. Then, I noticed how blue his lips were. I was educated on several different subjects back home and those colored lips specifically explained what was going on. Then, I looked from Kou to another worker, then to another. They were like zombies and all of their lips were uncannily blue.

"Oh my god." I gasped at the realization. I stepped back. "You'reー"

"ーrunning a labor sweatshop by drugging for the compliance of these so-called workers of yours," Sabo remarked, his eyes flaring up in hostility, "I'm guessing they're not even your company workers. I recognize some of them. Some of them are pirates and almost all are hunted by the government." In an instant, he seized my arm and pulled me back protectively.

I remembered. The rare liquor metal ore... Mother and Father were talking about it back home and they were discussing about how much money these rare metals could earn for them. Knowing them, they would go to extreme lengths to get what they want, all for their business, without any concern about who gets hurt or exploited in the process.

"You're here for the rare liquor metal ore," I concluded incredulously, "and you're resorting to human slavery. Just... _who_ are you?"

"Haruna, I don't expect you to understand."

"What do you even mean?" I yelled.

"Look at you, sister! You're dressed in tatters and you're all friendly with the _Revolutionary Army!_ But it won't ever bring you anything in this world. In the end, you'll be killed and it'll be all these criminals' fault! The only thing that will ever guarantee your power and safety is money!" Kiku snarled in a matter-of-factly tone. He grabbed a fallen piece of the precious rock from the ground and continued, "This rock will be the source of our success. The World Government will be begging us to sell these and before you know it, we will be rising to power."

I frowned at the sight of Kiku rambling off, saying something I thought I'd never hear him say before. Was it my fault for causing him to be this corrupted? I was a traitor...

"Release my friends, please..." I pleaded, my voice small. Kiku paused and observed me.

"Haruna, you don't see it but you're the one being deceived by these worthless criminals. After we use them to get the stuff we need, I will be turning them over to the World Government. They still have bounties on them after all." he told me.

"Watch your mouth, you asshole," Sabo growled. His hand was clenching his metal pipe, ready to swing it on my brother. I guessed that the only thing holding him back was the fact that he is my family and he doesn't want to hurt my only brother.

"Release my friends!" I demanded, almost shouting. Kiku flinched noticeably.

"You're the one who changed, Haruna," he said quietly after a small pause. Then, he suddenly made a quick motion with his fingers, gesturing a few goons at the back dressed in black suits. Without a moment to waste, they charged towards us. Koala and Hack were immediately grabbed and slammed onto the ground whereas Sabo was able to react but being a split second too slow, it was too late. They locked our arms to prevent our movement, constraining us as if we were really _criminals._

 _"Sabo!"_ I cried as one of the goons twisted his arm back painfully. He yelped in agony as his metal pipe dropped with a 'clank' onto the hard ground.

"Criminals will be criminals." Kiku stated heartlessly when he glanced resentfully from Koala to Sabo wincing in pain.

"Go to hell..." Koala spat as she tried to free herself but it was useless. Kiku ignored her.

Kiku's gaze eventually landed on me and his expression softened. "You'll come around, sister. Before then, I need you to be obedient. I'm sorry but I can't risk you this operation." I struggled as the guards held my arms, trapping me.

Small tears streamed down my cheeks as I saw Kiku in his current state. It was so painful to see how much Kiku had changed... I couldn't recognize this cold, black-hearted Kiku at all. It hurt even further to think that I had a role in this. It was my fault for leaving him. I made a difficult decision but I did not stop to think about him. He had lost his friend once and I couldn't imagine what he must've felt when he lost his sister too.

"Haruna..." Kiku's voice cracked a bit as if he was crying along with me, "don't cry please. I need you to believe that I'm doing all this for you. I know I said I can't forgive you but I won't ever, ever, hurt you, I promise."

But the thing is... he already did.

Fate brought us back together with the cruelest turn of events. It was supposed to be a happy reunion when I approached him but everything went wrong. The air grew bitter and the Kiku I knew was not present in _that_. As the guards took my friends and I away, I suddenly regained my focus back. Kiku was not there but I knew exactly what I had to do. I was not going to stay as a weak crybaby anymore. _I will rescue my friends!_

x

END OF CHAPTER 9


	10. Chapter 10

**Spring Song**

Author's Note: Hello, guys! I'm terribly sorry for having to give you slow updates all the time. I'm in my last sprint till the end of high school and I have so much on my plate right now. HOWEVER, I'm not abandoning this story just yet! And I hope you stick with me until I reach the end. Thank you so much for reading and giving me so much support in the reviews. I love youuuu :D

x

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

I woke up with startle. Was it all a bad dream?

Then, I realized I was in an unfamiliar room. Where's Sabo?! My instincts cried and I quickly forced my sleepiness away. I sat up and peered down, observing that I was on a soft pink bed, a high-quality silk blanket draped over me. Confused, I touched the fabric, and I couldn't help but think that it was one of the most comfortable sleeps I had ever since I left Eria Kingdom. I glanced around the room and it was almost a replica of one of the guest rooms at the Lacie household, minus the absence of any windows and the utterly horrible metal door that immediately made me realize the kind of situation I was in. I was in _prison._ Worst, my brother's my captor.

I wanted to say that I was grateful for the room. It was beautiful and unfitting for a prisoner. In front of the bed was a glass table. On top of it was a delicious-smelling dish, wrapped in plastic. The smell was enticing and I could hear my stomach growl in response. I stood up onto the pastel-colored carpet, laid across the room. It was difficult to label this as a prison but I did feel like a prisoner. My feet was bare; Kiku must've taken them off for me.

I walked over to the glass table. A card was placed on top of the wrapped dish. I opened it. Scrawled in Kiku's handwriting, it said:

 _Dear Haruna. Please excuse the situation you are in but do make yourself at home. Do not hesitate to ask my guards for anything else you might require. You'll come around, I just know it. I love you. From your brother._

I clenched the card in my fist and threw it at the floor in anger. Why have you changed this much? I couldn't stop asking myself and the tears forming in my eyes didn't help either.

I ripped the plastic wrap off the dish and reached for the delicious-looking and very innocent croissant. Then, I stopped. I remembered Sabo's comrade's unusual blue lips. _They were poisoned._ The thought of Kiku resorting to poison me broke my heart but I wasn't willing to throw away that possibility. I spotted my backpack on the corner of the room, untouched, except that the weapons Koala had prepared for me were missing. The metal spikes and the pistol strapped onto my thighs before were missing as well.

Instead, I located the two plastic bottles, the 'S' and the 'H' bottles, filled with Sabo's peach tea. I intuitively reached for mine. I had barely drank it at all for the duration of this trip. Longing for Sabo's comforting presence, I quickly unscrewed the cap on my bottle and took a long sip while I couldn't stop my tears from streaming down my faces. After drinking a bit, I decided to save the rest and secured the bottle on the side of my backpack. I felt much more refreshed now that I was hydrated once more. I was sad but I felt the fire inside of me; I was determined to get my friends back and leaving this wretched place, even if it means having to abandon Kiku once more.

I removed my dark bobby pin that was pinning my bangs away from my face. Then, with all my might, I snapped it into two, each with equally sharp ends. Then, I moved to the ugly rusted metal door and examined the round metal knob. Then, I stuck the two pieces of my bobby pin inside the hole and began working. It wasn't my first time picklocking. When I was in the Lacie household, I often ran away from meetings and appointments with my parents' important guests. Because of that, there were times when they had to lock me inside my room to prevent me from escaping before said meetings. But that didn't stop me. I found other ways to escape. To freedom. I smiled at the memories of me either picklocking or climbing trees from my room to the ground. Then, the knob snapped open with a clank. Success!

I grinned in triumph as I quickly stuffed my feet inside the boots lying beside the tableside and ran outside. Sure enough, the guard met face-to-face with me and he was shocked. Before he could react, I slammed my elbow in his face and gave him a strike to his stomach with my heeled boot. Out cold, I was finally free from my cell. I grabbed the guard's pistol that was tied to his belt and made my way out of the basement of wherever I was.

I opened the basement door and I was confused to see no one in sight. _Wow. Smart Kiku._ I thought sarcastically. The corridors of wherever I was was decorated with an expensive-looking rug. I ran to the nearest door and peeked inside. I gaped. It was a lab. Thinking that it's best to search for whatever hints I can, I stepped inside. The lab was dark with messy tables, full of vials and flasks that contains the liquid of the most eerie color. On the left, there was a huge glass flask with familiar blue liquid bubbling. _That's the poison!_ I immediately recognized it and without a moment to waste, I pulled out my pistol and shot the flask. The liquid burst out of the broken container.

"What the hell are you doing?!" a muffled voice screamed scornfully. A scientist clad in white emerged. He has messy dark hair, some of it which was covering his eyes. _Has he not brushed his hair or looked at the mirror in years?_ I thought in disdain and made a face at his disheveled appearance.

"Y-Y-You!" he stuttered at the sight of me.

"You're the one drugging these pirates to do your bidding?" I ignored his surprise and raised my eyebrows, unafraid at the man.

"Well, yeah," the scientist said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "the question is, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be in prison!"

"I escaped." I replied matter-of-factly, grabbing my pistol and immediately aiming at him.

"W-Whoa!" he stumbled, raising his hands up, "calm down, lady! What do you want?"

"An antidote," I slowly spoke, carefully observing his every move, "for the drugs you made..."

"Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed.

"Quiet!" I shouted, "you're going to do it or you're gonna die! Choose!"

"F-Fine..." the scientist stammered, "just, just don't kill me!" He almost pleaded.

"Get to work," I told him harshly. This was perfect. I'm going to free Sabo's subordinates and then, I'm going to find him and get him out of here.

* * *

After an hour, I was still in the lab, my gun pointed at him. I was sitting on the table across from the scientist's and he was working his butt off making and heating chemicals. I knew he wasn't buying time because I recognized how antidotes were made. Maybe the only useful thing that my parents had truly given me was education.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"..."

"Why, is it an ugly name or something?"

"...It's Albert..."

My eyes became wide.

"You're that famous scientist from Eria Kingdom!" I said, "I thought you were just a few years older than me. You look older than my dad!" At my declaration, he stopped working and tilted his safety goggles up.

"Excuse you. I'm only 23!" He glared icily at me.

"Are you serious?" I burst out laughing. He rolled his eyes and readjusted his goggles back to his face.

"How can you laugh at this. Don't you see the kind of predicament I'm in?" he muttered incredulously under his breath.

"I'm sorry, but why are you working for my brother?" I wondered.

"I'm quite thankful for all the small talk but will you please put your gun down?" he said without looking away from what he was working on.

"Will you kill me?" I asked.

"Will you kill me?!" he echoed, "I'm the one who should be asking you that!"

"Well, fine. I won't kill you if you don't betray me as well. I'm just a girl who just wants to rescue her boyfriend." I put my gun back onto my pocket.

"All right, fine." Albert turned away from his work and stared right into my eyes, "I was forced to work here. The Lacies had my family hostage back at Eria Kingdom. I was brought here, Miss Haruna. Even if I don't agree with Master's ways of dealing things or doing business, I'm just trying to survive."

His dark brown eyes bore into mine and I understood. He wasn't lying. His eyes were so honest and so sad that I couldn't help but trust in what he was saying.

"I believe you." I said.

"You do?" he queried skeptically.

"Yeah. Thanks for helping me, Albert." I smiled warmly at him, "I can feel like you're not a bad guy."

Albert stared at my face a little longer and scoffed. Then, he turned back to the messy scattered desktop. Without a word, he continued working and I waited patiently in silence.

A while after, he stood up, removed his plastic goggles and handed me a glass vial of yellow liquid.

"Just give a drop to each person and that should be sufficient," he stated coldly and waved me away. "You can go now. I won't tell anyone you were here."

"Albert..." I received the vial from him and attached it safely in my belt, "thank you so much, but what are you going to do from now on?"

"I'll be fine, Miss Haruna," he shoved me lightly, "just save your friends and get away from his place as far as you can go."

"'Haru' is fine, Albert," I said and ran to the door of the lab, "and you know what? I'll come back for you, and we'll go save your family."

"What!" Albert suddenly raised his voice, "Why would you do that? For me..." His voice trailed off, his eyes widened at my declaration.

"Because I want to save you." I winked and without another word, I ran off. Behind me, I didn't notice that Albert was moved by my words and was finally smiling. I wish I had seen that smile. But, now, I had the antidote in my hands and once I get Sabo and the others, I can save the people that was forced to comply with Kiku's orders. I had so much hope as things were finally going my way.

x

With a little exploring and getting rid of the annoying guards blocking my way, I found the door to the dungeon where Sabo, Hack and Koala were being held. I knocked out each guard and fought endlessly till there was no one left that was able to stop me. Sabo shouted for my name and I came face to face with him, minus the metal bars that was between us.

"You found us!" Koala exclaimed happily from the neighboring cell.

"I did!" I smiled back at her but Sabo was grasping my hands, and I saw his trembling as he held onto me.

"I thought I wouldn't be able to see you again," Sabo whispered, his voice was so miserable and melancholic.

"I wouldn't allow that." I said back, smiling warmly at him. I noticed how dehydrated he is, so I grabbed onto the side of my backpack and handed him the 'S' plastic bottle full of tea. "Here, drink this." I unscrewed the cap and led the rim of the bottle to his lip, gently pouring the unpoisoned liquid onto his mouth. After a long drink, I gave him a serious expression and gave him a brief explanation about the antidote. I reached inside from between the metal bars and stuffed the vial into his hands.

"...I've been away from my cell for hours, Sabo," I told him, "I'm pretty sure that Kiku's going to come for me. I won't have any more chance to escape again. Can you be the one to free your comrades and other pirates that were drugged?"

Sabo nodded weakly. He received the glass vial from me and both of his hands were grasping onto it, like he was unsure or uneasy about something.

"A drop will be sufficient." I continued to innstruct him but I noticed that his eyes were not focusing. His hands were unstoppably trembling. I paused. Without another word, I put both hands onto his cheeks and gently tapped them.

"Focus, Sabo! Please," I stared into his tired eyes, "I'm fine. We're fine. We're going to get out of here together. Nothing's gonna stop us." Then, I stopped and give him a small mischievous wink, "We didn't even have our first date yet. This wasn't exactly what I had planned."

Sabo closed his eyes and when they opened again, they weren't downhearted anymore; instead, they were full of resolve and the fear that he had a moment ago was finally gone.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Haru, I was so worried about you," he confessed and gave a big sigh.

"He was crying like a baby!" Koala piped in, almost laughing.

"Shut up, Koala," Sabo said, embarrassedly.

"Ahaha, it's okay, guys. I know. First, let's get out of here," I fumbled on the metal door before a large pair of arms grabbed me from behind and slammed me onto the wall. I shrieked in pain.

"Haru!" Sabo yelled.

"Oh my god, Haru!" Koala cried.

"Get away from her," Hack growled from the next cell. Hack banged the metal bars but the bars stayed sturdy, unmoved, even from Hack's incredible strength.

"Ouch..." I was on the ground, rubbing my head and the room was whirling in circles. I glared up at the vision of the large man but I couldn't exactly pinpoint where he was. The damage he did to my head stunned me. But I could recognize him. He was one of Kiku's close guards that held Sabo down before.

"Let's get you back to the cell, sissy," he snarled frostily at me. Effortlessly picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder, he began making his way up the dungeon. He was going to put me back into my prison. _Let me go!_ I couldn't resist his strength. Before he could walk away, I instinctively grabbed the snapped bobby pin I've used from my pocket and threw it to Sabo. _Get out of here!_ I shouted in my mind. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sabo catching it with a grave expression on his face. Nevertheless, Sabo caught it. It gave me a sense of relief and I finally gave in and passed out from the thumping headache the man had given me from slamming me onto the dirty brick wall. The darkness slowly enveloped me but all I could think of is Sabo and whether he'd escape. _He will._ A strong encouraging voice chirped in my head before everything just went pitch-black.

x

 **-END OF CHAPTER 10-**


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